The present invention relates to a monostable switch device for controlling the rear window washer/wiper of an automobile and, in particular, to such switch devices incorporated into the control-switch unit mounted on the steering-column housing of the automobile.
As is well known in the automotive art, the steering-column control switch unit of an automobile now generally comprises a body from one side of which extend two manually-operable levers for respectively controlling the operation of the direction indicator lights, and of the parking lights and dipped and full headlights. Projecting from the other side of the control-switch unit body is generally a third lever which when pressed by the driver sets in motion the windscreen wiper blades and, additionally, by a push button action causes liquid detergent to be delivered from a reservoir onto the windscreen by a pump.
Due to this arrangement, control of the corresponding automobile services can be effected by the driver in a convenient and simple manner since the control levers are ready to hand. Furthermore, the various electrical and mechanical connections required for assembling and mounting the control switch unit can be readily effected.
In some types of automobiles, a rear window washer/wiper is provided. In this case, the operating button or lever for the rear window washer/wiper has invariably been disposed on the automobile dashboard rather than in the steering-column control switch unit. As a result of this, the electrical and mechanical connections for the rear window washer/wiper control must be effected during assembly separately to those carried out during the fitting of the steering-column control-switch unit.
This causes production costs to be very high on account both of the additional operations which the assembly worker must carry out, and of the unit cost of the control button or lever for the rear window washer/wiper.
The present invention seeks to produce a monostable switch device for a rear window washer/wiper which avoids these drawbacks, is low in cost and easy to manufacture.